


Derek is Afraid of Heights

by idacalgal



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Acrophobia, Comforting Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski-centric, Derek-centric, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear, Fear of Heights, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Phobia, Scared Derek, afraid, heights, ladders - Freeform, scared, scared!Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 20:11:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2745476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idacalgal/pseuds/idacalgal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course. Of course the feral omega would lead Derek and his pack to the top of the tallest tower of the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital. </p><p>Derek is afraid of heights and gets stuck on a ladder. Stiles has to help him get down. Fluff ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Derek is Afraid of Heights

Of course. Of course the feral omega would lead Derek and his pack to the top of the tallest tower of the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital. 

 

The rogue wolf had scaled the side of the building, using the fire escape ladders in addition to the gutters and ledges to fling himself to the rooftop. Scott, Boyd, Isaac, and Erica were hot on its tail, jumping lithely from ledge to ledge as they made their way up the building. Derek stayed behind, helping Stiles along. Derek requested to climb behind Stiles on their way up, using the excuse of making sure he didn’t fall because if he did, he wouldn’t heal. Thankfully, Stiles agreed without argument, although he did produce a fairly epic eyeroll before he grabbed hold of the bars of the ladder and began to climb. Derek followed, keeping his focus on the rung of the ladder directly in front of his face, taking his time in order to stay a few feet down from Stiles. 

 

With each bar Derek wrapped his hand around, his heart beat a little faster and his breath came a little quicker. He could feel the muscles of his hands and arms grow weak and the fear really began to set in about three stories up, when he realized that his hands were shaking violently and his vision was blurred. 

 

‘don’t look down. don’t look down. don’t look down.’ Derek chanted in his head, a mantra to keep his focus on what he was doing. 

 

He made it another two stories before he had to stop, and he did so abruptly. He could feel his whole body trembling as he clung weakly to the bars of the building. His spine seemed to be vibrating and he felt as though each pull of air into his lungs was void of oxygen. He tightened his grip until his knuckles turned white and before he could catch himself, he glanced down below himself.

 

The ground seemed so far away. The parking lot was a giant expanse of cold, hard grey and the few cars that were parked looked so unbelievably small. 

 

Derek whimpered, a high pitched whine following up from the back of his throat while he clamped his eyes shut on pressed his forehead to the bars in front of him, dragging deep breathes into his lungs. 

 

‘Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh god. Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit. Make it stop. Please, god, make it stop.’ Derek couldn’t get any other thoughts through his mind besides the panic.

 

“Derek?” Stiles shouted from where he’d climbed up another story. 

 

Derek couldn’t bring himself to speak. He felt as though even a word could send him tumbling back down to the ground. 

 

“What’s going on? You okay, big guy?” Stiles asked.

 

Derek lifted his gaze carefully to see Stiles looking down at him, one hand off of the ladder as he turned his body down to look at Derek. 

 

Derek couldn’t do anything but look at him, his eyes wide and frightened.

 

Stiles immediately began climbing back down and Derek never took his eyes off of him, again, too petrified to move even his eyes. Stiles carefully maneuvered himself until he was on the backside of the ladder, his back about three feet from the wall of the hospital. He climbed down methodically, until his foot reached the rung that Derek’s hands clung to. 

 

“Derek, are you afraid of heights?” Stiles asked, now that he was close.

 

Derek gave a small nod, followed by a whimper as he squeezed his eyes shut. 

 

“Oh, my… Okay, I’ll help you. Its okay. Its okay. I need you to scoot your hands to the outsides of the ladder so I can put my foot down.”

 

Derek’s eyes shot open as he looked at Stiles with even more panic in his eyes than usual. It took a beat or two, but Derek began shaking his head fervently, gripping the ladder tighter. 

 

“Hey, hey. Trust me. It’ll be okay. Just take it one hand at a time.” Stiles said, voice soft. 

 

Derek steeled himself and took a few deep breaths before slowly inching back on the pressure in his right hand. It took some time, but eventually, he loosened his grip enough to actually let go of the metal. As soon as his hand was off though, he quickly darted it out to cling to the outside pole of the ladder. He did the same with the other hand and gritted his teeth harshly, squeezing his eyes shut as Stiles carefully maneuvered himself down the rungs in front of Derek, toes squeaking against the metal.

 

“Derek, open your eyes.” Stiles said quietly. 

 

Derek opened his eyes slowly and gasped when he noticed how close Stiles face was to his. Stiles’s gaze was gentle as he looked at Derek’s terrified expression. 

 

“Hey, we’re gonna do this together, okay? I’m right here, nothing is going to happen.” Stiles said softly.

 

Derek nodded and kept his gaze locked on Stiles eyes, not daring to look anywhere else. Here, focused on the warm amber eyes in front of him, it was easier to forget about how high up Derek was. Slowly, Stiles placed his hand over Derek’s, encouraging him to loosen his grip. Derek did, and Stiles moved with Derek, guiding his hand a little lower. He repeated with the other hand and then Stiles took a step down on the ladder, never breaking eye contact with Derek. Derek followed Stiles eyes, down one rung at a time. Stiles continued to whisper encouragements to Derek until finally, Derek had his feet on the ground again. 

 

As soon as their feet were planted, Stiles rushed around the ladder to stand in front of Derek, just as Derek collapsed forward onto Stiles, nearly in tears. Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles’ waist and buried his face in the crook of Stiles’s neck. Stiles circled his arms around Derek’s neck, stroking the back of his hair softly and rubbing a warm palm up and down between his shoulderblades.

 

“How are you feeling?” Stiles asked.

 

“Dizzy.” Derek breathed, clenching his eyes shut tight. 

 

“I think you need a distraction.” Stiles said lightly, pulling his head away.

 

Derek looked at him with an eyebrow raised, “what did you have in mind?”

 

Stiles smiled briefly before lunging in and planting a kiss against Derek’s lips. It lacked finesse, but that was okay because the kiss did its job. Derek felt as though his brain short circuited. He couldn’t think about the height of the ladder or the dizzy feeling in his head and limbs. All he could think about was Stiles lips against his own.

 

When the kiss eventually ended, Stiles leaned back and looked Derek in the eyes.

 

“If it gives me an excuse to kiss you, you should get stuck on ladders more often.” Stiles joked, smirking lightly.

 

Derek growled in response before mumbling, “never again.”

 

“If it ever does happen again--and I’m sure one day it will because seriously? An almighty werewolf who can’t be more than 10 feet off the ground? Not the point. Anyway, as I was saying, when it does inevitably happen again, I’ll be there to help you down every time.”

 

Stiles smiled softly and for the first time Stiles is pretty sure in his existence, Derek grinned before pulling Stiles into another kiss.


End file.
